It's two, two, two-for one!
I started two very different movies last night and this afternoon after I finished work I finished them both.
Sanjuro, 1962
A follow-up to
Yojimbo, this is another film featuring Toshiro Mifune's swaggering samurai helping out those in need.
Tsubaki (though he's rarely called by name) just happens to seek shelter in the same place where a group of men have gathered to discuss their plans to take down several corrupt government officials. The corrupt politicians have kidnapped a local commissioner and plan to frame him for wrong-doing so that they can seize power. Realizing that the group of men is walking into the trap, the samurai helps them to survive an attack and then becomes joined to their cause.
This film was pretty . . . casual as far as samurai films go. There are rescues and skirmishes, but the film never has very heavy stakes. That's mostly not a criticism--clearly the film is meant to be enjoyable and light. There is a lot of humor at play, and it's fun to watch the samurai manipulate the bad guys into different situations.
And honestly, the lack of stakes was my only complaint. At times the film's low key vibe borders on boredom. I would have liked a twist or two, while the plot tends to move in a pretty linear (and predictable) fashion. I definitely liked it, but more as a feel-good fun film.
Sleepless in Seattle, 1993
A man named Sam (Tom Hanks) has just lost his wife to cancer. Needing a change, he moves himself and his son, Jonah, to Seattle. But a year and a half later, Sam is still depressed. One night, Jonah calls a radio advice program to seek help for his father. Across the country in Baltimore, newly engaged Annie (Meg Ryan) hears the radio program and finds herself drawn to Sam and his plight. Suddenly questioning her engagement (to a well-meaning guy who is perhaps a bit bland), Annie finds herself torn between thinking she has a chance at real love, or thinking that it's a flight of fancy.
This is a pretty well-known romantic comedy (a genre in which I am not super well versed), and I really enjoyed it. The entire film (aside from a few moments), keeps Sam and Annie apart, and it's such an interesting choice! The film isn't so much about two people falling in love, as it is about two people forced to take a hard look at what they want in their lives. This is a really cool approach to romance, because it's not just watching two people in a "honeymoon" phase. Sam and Annie both need to reflect on themselves and do work on themselves before they ever share the same room.
Another thing I really liked was how the film portrayed the love interests that Sam and Annie have. Annie's fiance, Walter (Bill Pullman), is a good guy. The woman that Sam ends up dating, Victoria (Barbara Garrick), is a nice person. It's too easy for romantic comedies to partner one (or both) of the leads with partners who are abusive, neglectful, cruel, disrespectful, dumb, etc. It's not about the leads being with "bad" people--it's about whether or not they are with the wrong people. As Annie says to Walter, "I wonder if we're like two rights that make a wrong". She means that they might be too similar and that the predictability means that there isn't a spark or spontaneity between them.
Overall this was a charming film. Maybe a minor complaint would be that there are a handful of dated moments with Jonah and a friend of his speaking in a form of slang that I don't think ever actually existed. But aside from that I didn't really find any faults with it. I'm glad I watched it and it holds up really well!